Herald Square | 385 Congress St | Portland

nomc said:
Are you allowed to shrink the footprint without going back for an amendment?

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It seemed like half of the discussion at the last PB meeting was about if they needed to revisit the MDP or not - it seems like they are going to given the number/type of changes (particularly ones like switching from market rate to affordable. They also said, though, they can revisit/amend the MDP concurrently, so it (probably) won't hold anything up.

They need more info about the rest of the block in order to revisit the MDP and also for IZ approval - Dasco did mention that the building on the corner of Cumberland and Pearl would probably be 8 floors. Here's how the current footprint looks:

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I get we need affordable housing in Portland, but I'm sorry, allowing a 77ft, 5 floor building in an area zoned for 250ft is just not acceptable IMHO. I'd much rather see them pay into the housing fund, move it just down the hill, or scrap the whole block than under utilize this site. What a disappointment this has become. (the height issue was brought up briefly at the PB meeting to their credit)
 
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I'm with you on the affordable housing issue but am just fine with the two Cumberland Avenue buildings being in the 7-8 story range as long as the two on Congress Street remain 12-14 floors. I had little faith from the very beginning that this massive proposal would be built out with 45+ total floors in a one block parcel. Personally, I think the skyline views from the interstate would actually benefit from having two shorter buildings in front of the two taller ones and would provide a more stepped appearance. Hopefully the design team will now make sure that the "backside" of the two towers will receive the same attention to detail as the Congress Street facades because they previously would have been mostly blocked from view.
 
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They might be focused on the Biddeford development, which is further along?
 
I’m hearing that this project is being revised significantly and that the developer is proposing a music venue / event center instead of residential along Cumberland Ave. while keeping the hotel and residential towers along Congress.
 
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Another music venue across the street from Merrill Auditorium seems a little bizarre but at this point I'd settle for a miniature golf course and a ferris wheel. This lot and the Top of the Old Port parking next door has not changed in over 50 years with the exception of demolishing the former church and sub shop building. Just build something please!

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Photo from around 1971, Franklin Towers was completed in 1969.
 
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Also a convention center in the other lot (Top of the Old Port) its time..... aka Hynes Convention Center
 
I really don't understand why top of the Old Port parking is still there. Especially with the whole shift of workers. That is prime real estate and could make a huge impact on Portland with the right project. I keep hoping for a convention center as well.
 
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